tranitlin `,l,trolitevg.
Wednesday, April 12, 1865.
GEE. ROBERT E. LEE, Commander-in-
Chief of the . rebel forces, surrendered his
entire army of Northern Virginia to Gen.
Grant - On Sunday last, and the great Chief
tain of the Republic is therefore without
. a foe to confront him. Thus after ten
days of forced marches and heroism un
exampled in the history of warfare, the
Army of' the Potomac has grappled kith
and utterly destroyed the very life-foun
tain of treason, and the chief heroes of
of crime have . fallen in an ignoble cause,
orare captives to our triumphant comman
ders.
THUS IiAS PEACE BEEN FIEBLT WON!'
The Nation may now realize, its highest
hopes—re-union, fraternal harmony, and
the supremacy, in all sections, of an un-
Yielding devotion to our rescued Nation
ality. In thus crowning Peace and Union
over the crimsoned sacrifices of appalling
war, we would leave vengeance to Him
who-has declared it "is MINE," and make
•
the chastened and regenerated Republic
rrtagrurimous and ennobling in Peace, as
it has been terrible and invincible in War !
WOW SHALL. WE ATTAIN PEACE?
The great repressive power of - the re
bellion is now broken, and for the first
time since the despotism of ,treason was
inaugurated in 1861, the Southern people
can act upon their own convictions with
out fear of the remorseless vengeance that_
hitherto has pursued all who did not bow
- withimt inquiry or complaint to the arch
conspirators.' This repressive' power was
the rebel army. While it was unshattered,
there was no hope of individual or State
action to restore ; the la.lolll authority of
the government in the revolted States.
The insurgent leaders, who must stand
before an enlightened Christian world and
a just God as responsible for the wide-
Spread desolation, the appalling bereave
ment,nnd the countless sacrifices of this
war, were sustained during the whole
struggleby the armies of crime. They had
ever . at hand the power to, enforce their
despotic laws relentlessly, and they did
•noittesitate to crush oat dispassionate 10
tion at every cost.. They could thereby
' enforce their merciless conscription ; gath
er their wholesale impressments ; close
every avenue against desertions, and for
bid all discussion looking to peace by re
• union.
But this sole sustaining power of Davis
• . is now broken. Hood's army has ceased
tp exist; Johnston's IA powerless to give
battle to Sherman, and must manteuvre
for his oval safety, while his ranks will be
daily lessened by hopeleis deserters, and
Lee's spy—hitherto the main reliance
of the' uSurpation -of Dayis, has it last
been surrendered. It can never again
13(10:organized. The rebel government—
the centre of the power that has been
wielded with such tireless energy and um
_ • summate still in behalf of wrong—has
also been scittered to the winds and its
• potency utterly destroyedi It may wan
der through the South .for'aT few months,
- but ifwill command neither respect nor
obedience. In short,the whole repreisive,
controlling power of treason is hopelessly
broken, and now the Southein people
can with -safety act for themselt - es, for
their posterity and tit' their common coun
try, in accepting and sustaining the sn
, premacy of the general government.
` —How shall they be met i How shall
they be invited to the great work of nab)-
, ring the authority of the Republic Shall
relentless vengeance or fraternal kindness
prevail with' us, the victors in the final
effort to save onrprond inheritance i' The
' time haacome when these grave questions
must be determined, and we ale gratified
to notice the almost universal expressions
of the loyal press and statesmen.of the
North in favor of the most generous pol
:iey_on the part of the Government that
is consistent with its honor and safety.
' We think the present a fitting timeto
- recall the golden iyords of Hon. Edward
Everett, in his great oration delivered in
the fall of 1863, over the graves of our
martps on the memorable field'of Gettys
burg. He said.
"The people of loyal America will never take
• to their confidence, or admit again to a shore in
their Government, the hard hearted men whose
cruel lust of power has brought, this devastating
war upon the land, but there is no personal bitter
ness felt even against them.- They - may live, if
they can bear to live after wantonly causing the
death of so many thousand fellow-men; they mar
live in safe security beneath the shelter of the ,
• Government they have sought to overthrow, or
they-may fly to the protection of the Governments
of Europe—some of them are already there, seek
ing, happily in vain, to obtain the aid of foreign
Powers in liirtherance of their owo treason.
There let them stay. The humblest dead soidier
that bee cold and stiff in his gnivel before us, is an
object' f envy beneath the clods ;that cover him,
in comparison with the living man who is willing
to grovel at the foot of a foreign throne for assist
ance in compassing the).* of his country.
' But the hour is coming, and now is, when the
Power of the leaders of the- rebellion to delude
and inflame must cease. There is no bitterness
on the.part of the masses. The people of the
South are not going to wage an eternal war for
the wretched pretexts by which this rebellion is
sought to be justified. The bonds that unite us
as one people, a substantial community of origin,
language, belief and law (the four great ties that
find the societies of men together); common na
tional and political interests; a common history.;
a common pride in a glorious ancestry ; a common
interest in this great heritage of blessings; the
- very geographical features of the country ; the
' mighty rivers that cross the hues of climate, and
thus facilitate, the interchange of natural and in
dustrial products ; while the wonder working arm
of 'the engineer has levelled the Mountain walls
which separate the East and Vs e s t, compelling
your own Alleghenies, my Maryl.4il and Pennsyl
vania friends, to open wide their everlasting doors
io the chariot wheels of traffic alid tralel—these
bonds of union arc of perrennial ferce and energy, 4
while the causes of alienation are imaginary, fac
titious, and transient. The heart of the people -
North and South is for the Union. Indications,
too plain to be mistaken, announet the fact, both
in the East and the West of the States in rebell
ion. In North Carolina and Arkansas the fatal
charm at length is broken. At ilakigh and Lit
tle Rock the lips of honest and bi,ave men are tin
-Wiled, and an, independent presk is unlimbering
its artillery. The weary masses the peopleare
-yearning to sire the dear old'flog floating again up
on the capitols, and they sigh fl,r the return of
the peace, prosperity, zed happiness which they
enjoyed under a Government whose power was
felt only in its blessings."
Rev. .Henry Ward Beeeher iu a -dis
course on our recent glorieus victories,
referred in most pointed itt)(l eloquent.
terms to - the duty of the Motors to be
maganimous. He said::
"The exigencies of our country Twice - us to
do a thousand fold more than ever before; and
first let us take care that, we do not fall into the
easy sin of vengeance,. underi the plea of Justice--
Few men ,can afford to bel just untilthey first'
learn howVo love. rhear many men say this
war ought not to be ended until the principal
traitors -are hung, and that a sour apple tree
should take the place of Haman's gallows, upon
which should swing the arch-traitor Jeff. Davis.
If Mr. Dacia was My lawful prey to-night. I
would do bythim as I did with another wasp yes
terday. I saw the fellow on my doorin the coun
try, and was just about to - smash him, when I
said, .-What's the use ? It's only a wasp, and it's
not at all.prObable that he and'l will meet again,
so I'll lettinn go.' That's what I'd do with Jeff.
Davis. tet;him go away where he'll be by him
self, powerless to injure us, and of no, particular
account to anybody else And if I had my way
after the close of fighting I would not let one
drop of blood, be spilled, and then I could say to
the world that this great civil war has be end
ed as none other ever was. Ought thefie not to
be an exhibition of lace and justice ? ought there
not to be a terrible spectacle of retribution .? say
-some. In mercy's name, has there not been suf
fering enough? lie not' the. penalty already
paid ? Hods vengeance patent enough We
'don't want any more vengeance.would not
expatriate any leaders on the ground of Vengeance,
for as they; have once misled the people they
might do so nem. I would not expatriate and
disfranchise them."
On theisame subject, and in the same
large and iliberal spirit, the New York
Ereizinq litost
[A, of Thursday says:
' I -
"To makertnis wilderness to bloom again, to
replace this wretchedness with prosperity, to bring
order out of this anarchy and re-establish peace
ful industry; this is now our huge and important
task. It is:an Undertakingtto which will have to
be brought as much practical wisdom and states ,
manship thinigh perhaps of adiftbrent kind—as
has been required to conduct us through the last
four years. ! Great as the task is, it is not impos
sible; but it will require true statesmanship, a
clear eye, and great patience to see where to
help and where to let alone, where r to - step inwith
the all-pon erful Federal arm, and where, oftenest,.
to wisely o lige the people to help themselves—
to revive n t only trades and industry - , but the
public spiri of the pt , ople ,
" Fortunately} the needs of the South will hglp
us in this undertaking.,_ When the Southern ports
are again opened to the commerce of the world,
as must soon luippen, fhe appeal to self-interest,
and the bitter necessities of all classes of the peo
ple, will win them, gradually but surely, to the
ways of lawful and peaceful liberty But. first of
all, let it not be forgotten that these Southern
people are liar fellow-citizens ; and—that when
they submit-Ao the ' supreme, law 6f - the-land'
they resume their place as _kinetic-ans. The Pres
ident's notice of last July, ' To whom it may con
cern,' concerns now the whole population of the
Southern States ; and its terms are the terms up
on which, as ought tout once made known to
. them, they can have-immediate peaceand protec
tion. i
. " Any'propositiou which embraces the restora
tion of peace, theMtegrity of the whole Union,
and the abandonment of slavery " ' 4 '",'"
will be ret•eived and considered by the Execu
tive GoLernmeneof the United States, and will
be met byli&Cral terms on substantial and col
lateral _points.
" We do not doubt that several States will soon
call conventions to accept formally these, easy
conditions—Aerms which have groWn out of the
war, and which are in such exact conformity
with the actual state of affairs, in the Southern
States; that merely to ' accept the situation,' to
use the phrase of the citizens of Sawan'oah, will
be to take Mr. Lincoln at his word."
The Times, though opposed to making
advanets while the rebellion was formid
able, is now emphati"C in favor that pol
icy. From that journal of WediTesday we
quote as follows : ,e,
" Thus the question of
. pacifiation is at once
brought home to us. It is the part of every loyal
man now to consider how the priceless fruits of
our victory can be quickest realizedt We have
been fighting this four years war not from passion
at the Fort Sumpter outrage, nor from obstinacy
that holds on, when once the hand is in for the
mere sake of-it, nor from a love of military fume,
nor because of any glitering generalityor chivalrous
sentiment, but for the most practical and substan
tial of all ends—namely, the restoration of the
blessings of the Union. All this immeasurable
treasure and blood has been poured out for that
object absolutely and alone. Nothing else ought
MOW to be thought Of. The fall of Richmond,
much as it is calculated to stir every high mo
tion, should be estimated with particular refer
elide to its being turned •to practical account in
speeding a cordial reunion between the North
and South. 'lt is valuable- just in proportion as
we so make use of it.
_ "The event ought to be signalized by some-dem
onstration - from our Government that shall, if
possible, reawaken loyalty on the instant. Every
advance made by the President toward the South
en people,' so long as Richmond' defied him,
would have been misconstrued into a bid for com
promise. This is now impossible. The power
of our Government to compel submission is now
as manifest as the suit. No Southern mind can
_be so stupid us to impute an overture of kindness
now to fear, or discouragement, or any other un
worthy motive. It would be rettognized us a
pledge of good will, and,;We believe, would forth
with rouse into life a reciprocal feding."
Now that Lee and his army haCe faded
from existence as a military -power. we
hope to hear that Johnston will imitate
his chief and surrender,-to Sherman. He
cannot hope either to fight tir retreat suc
cessfully with-Grant, Sherman, Schofield
and - ,Sfonemau surrounding him, and we
beliede that he will not sacrifice the lives
of his men in hopeless conflift.:
Gen. Stoneman has reacheeNorth Car:
olina; at a point North of Johnston and is
now doubtless co-operating with Sher
man. Gen.; Thomas is at some point in
Wistern Virginia on his - way to Lynch
burg, and Gen. Hancock with - his entire:
force of Infantry and cavalry moved from
WincUster toward the same point on the
4th inst. Before the close of the present
week oar forces. will certainly occupy
Lynchburg and Raleigh.
- We - have•not as yet ha,tl any word of
the whereabouts of Jeff. - Davis, since he
left Richmond. He cannot live in the
South. and - we expect to hear that he has
started for Texas to take final refuge in
Mexico, from which place Davis and Max
imilion will find it convenient to leave to
gether before the birds of another spring
shall chant their merry songs.
TIIE Democracy seem to -be doomed to
perpetual sorrow. Just as they have things
in shape to carry an election, Grant, or
Sherman, or Sheridan, or Thorims smashes'
the machide by dispersing some rebel ar
my or something of that kind. At, Chicago
they resolved that-tlfe war was but four
years of failure," but before they got home
tliey heard the to theni terrible booming
oti loyal cannon Over Sherman's capture
of Atlanta. and their doom was sealed.
On Tuesday week :the annual election was
held in Connecticut, and they had their
stakes' set fora signal victory; but just
the day berm c Grant was malicipts enough
to capture Richmond and smash Lee to
smithereens. Of course the people were
wild with joy over the death-blow dealt
to treason, and naturally enough they for
got to vote the Democratic ticket. The
result was the election of Buckingham,
Union, as Governor by the:unprecedented
inqopty of 11,000; all the Congressmen ;
all the Senators, and three-fourths of the
Eitneii Lee or the Democracy
intist be very substanith,diy repaired before
anOperelection is atteuipte4 by the fol
lowers of Valtandigham & Co.
THE Richmond Examiner of the 27th
tilt.. thus franklj* predicts the consequen
ces to the rebels ofthe loss of Richmond :
" The evacuation of Riehmond would be loss of
all respect and authority toward the Confederate
Government, the disintegration of the army, and
the abandonment of the scheme of an independent
Southern Confederation. The war would, after
that, speedily . drgeneintc into an irregular contest,
in which passion Would have more to do than pur
pose; which would have no other object than the
mem defence or present safety of those immedi
atelypersistiug in it. The hope ofestablishing a
Confederacy, and securing its recognition among
nations, would be gone for ever. The common
sense of the country, the instinct of every man
and woman in the land, contradicts the idea that
any possibility of an independent South 'would
remain after its capital was abandoned, its gov
ernment set adrift, and its army withdrawn into
the solitudes of the interior." ,; •
INFORMATION is wanted of one J. Da
vis, Esq., who has hitherto supposed him
self President of a supposed Confederacy,
with a supposed corner-stone supposed to
be Slavery. • The supposed corner-stone
having• vanished forever, it is supposed
that the supposed President has come to
grief in " some secluded spot" in a south
ern swamp. Any information on the sub
ject will be gladly received at the Spirit
office, where physiological findother sci
entific experiments are now being made
touching the late rebellion, which have
quite rvently resulted in theiliscovery of
a brolte'riliiA-bone.
THa Spirit, after four year's of agoni
zing doubts, whose benefits ever went to
the toes of the Nation, has at last conclu
ded that the rebellion'of treason is prac
tically destroyed. , i In an article announ
cing the capture of Richmond it says :
• "We feel assured, however, that the back-bone
of the rebellion has at length been broken beyond
repair, and that though the war may continue for
some time, yet the probability is that it sill soon
end. In the near future we behold visions of a
restored Union audit prios_p_erous, reunited and
happy people."
TILE annual election in Rhode Island
way held on Tuesday of last week; but
there was no contest. The DeMocracy
was like Lee's army and the-Dutchman's
milk. all lYing around loose, and the Union
ticket had no opposition. How would
Connecticut and Rhode Island have been
contested if Lee had routed Grant instead
of
_Grant captnring Richmond? Could
anybody guess It would seem that De
mocracy and rebellion play out together.
• - JEFF. DAVIS had his lint parade of ne
gro troops ,in i Richmond , on Friday, the
31st of March, and on MoUday, the 3d of
April Gen.. Weitzel had the second, on
which oceasimid. D. was not at home : but
many of his negro recruits were !
WANTED- 7 a ." last ditch" for J. Davis,
Esq. Until recently he had been infatua
ted with the conviction that he had it in
Richmond, but the delusion has vanished,
and with it J. D.
Tug Pittsburg Commercial truly says that if
there is a man in the land, who, in our general
joy, should be remembered kith gratitudepit is
Lieutenant General :Grant. His vast combina
tiOns bare done the business. Since he took in
hatid the military affairs of the country, we have
had a plan. There have been no reverees, but a
, steady advance to the consummation of the over
throw of the rebellion. 'The mind that conceived
that plan, the will that has held everybody and
everything to the work. the perception that se
lected and tiloro_ the agenCles-f4 working out
the great Problem, has:a fair title to the appella
tion of great. To Grant we owe almost every
thing.: Let us not forget him—rathef let him be
remembered first. ' - the accounts place him on
the field in the great movement. Not only does
he plan lint he executes. He is as brave as he is
‘l, kc.
It is a truth that in battle he is reckless of-him,
self. He leads—never follows. His headquakt
ters, not unfrequently, are with the skirmishers.
It was so atqfi ,, sinuary Ridge. He advances
v.ith the line: He keeps close to the enemy. He
means tight as no other man ever did. He strikes
for results. He cares not for fame that is not
linked with his country's welfare. He has no
purpose but the perpetuity of the Republic. He
has a will that man seldom possesses. The rebels
have felt his energy. Of all the menthis war has
produced he is most worthy of our regards, In
celebrating our victories, let the toast beLieu
tenant General Grant.
UPON the general subject of peace it-is affirmed
that the President expresses his determination of
evincing a great nation's magnanimity and for
giveness where the Executive clemency is sin
cerely and penitently courted.
The Evening Star, among other statements iu
a long editorial, has the following: "The - time
has now arrived vvheii serious efforts at peace will
he made. Southern publicmen as Alexander H.
Stephens, Judge Campbell and W. W. Holden—
sincere Union men at heart, will doubtless at once
take the initiative in the desired negotiationi.bas
ed on immediate and absolute submission io the
Government's lawful authority: Our impression
is that Our. Vance of North Carolina will no long
er hold out against the Union sentiment of that
State, and that Our. Brown of Georgia will not
be behind band in bringing his State back into the
=
Union,
THE United States Service Magazine for April
has a graphic description of Sherman's Atlanta
campaign—with a map; an able paper On' Chlor 7
ofin.m; No. four of the Great Battles of Historyi"
with other contributions and the usual complete
summary of war and army intelligence. Tt is the
only-military periodical published_ in this country
that at once commends itself to,tiie military pro
fession and adapts itself to the popular want. It
should be read by every . . intelligent American.
The number for May will contain a fine steel en
graying of Gen. Sheridan, with biography, and an
article on Sherman's Georgia Campaign, with map
illustrations. Paice $5 per annum. C. B. Bich
-ardson, 540 Broadway, New York. - -
Wr. invite attention to the advertisement o
Laura Witehell, in to-day's paper, asking ford nfor
math:Sof the relatives of Clara Reynoldsi,.,We
learn that her father was MI ardent Union mail in
Virginia, nod that about three ninths ago the re
bel guerillas murdered him4dundered and burn
ed his house, and her m r other died of grief shortly
afterwards.
THE Carlisle American has been merged into
the Herald, and Mr. Zinn-retires to devote his at
tention to the Post Office. The arrangepent is
a judicious one, and must add largelY to the cir
culation and usefulness of the Herald. It is vig
orously conducted, and well worthy of the. sup
port of the Union men of Cumberland.
REMEMBER the sanitary and . Chtistiun Com
missions now when their aid is so much needed
by our brave soldiers, who may be suffering from
casualties in taking Richmond, These lillititUti
timis are doing a great work, sad_deerve the
support of every friend of thci-soldi tEt
---
, WE are indebted to Hon. J. M.-4 - shley, M. C.
for public dommentp. 4'
di* •frattiditi Itepooitirty,' thamberebtitg i Pa.
Rejoicing-Over the Capture of Riehmcind
Thum in Harrisburg—The Citil
and Military Authorities a little Tan•
Bled—Gov. Curtin Gone to Attend to
Our WOunded.
Correspondence of the Franklin Repository
The capture of - Richmond has absorbed every
thing during the week. When - the news came
everybody stopped work; business was in fact
suspended, and nobody seemed to know exactly
what to do with himself,. I was o f course as pa•
triotic as "any other man," and in my circle fur
that day, the National spirit was so crated that
we had to take various spirits down to keep any
thing like an equilibrium. We smiled hnd.coun
ter-smiled ; then we nipped and re-nipped ; then
we smashed and smashed again . ; then We took a
drink ; then we repeated, and so on for Seventeen
hours and forty minutes,' during most' of which
time I verily believe that everybody was More or
less luddled hit myself; and what stranger
still, everybody else thought every one
inebriated
but himself. lam satisfied that all of them but
your correspondent was mistaken. Gen. Hinks
had endless trouble to preserve order in tlie city.
He wrol compelled to make a most gallant and
desperate mounted charge on the Junes House_to
entorce4he proper obedience of the regulations
'dictated for that day by " military neces:Sity."
Nothing but his dauntless courage gave bite suc
cess. Despite the swarmson the ramparts of the
defended points, Gen. Rinks slashed his 1\74
through and planted his banner and - his foaming
charger in the headquarters of the establishment.
The police were called in as a feserve ; but Gen.-
Hulks ordered them all captured. This,raised a
row. We have a Mayor—a iarg& Mayor—a. mil
itary Mayor, and the great question stared him in
the face—ls there a municipality uniting us If
he was the Whale he wanted to know it, and' he ;
would gulph Gen. Hinks down; ,if he was the
Jonah, he would evarukte. A mixed military and
civil conference was held, at which it s% as agreed
that we had both a Mayor and Provost Marshal
General with us. The Patiiot and Union- wag"
ill•riatured. Richmond had' fallen. and it IN : US ‘
mad. Everybody hut it was glad, and - it Was
mortified 'to see all happy around it. ' Especially'
was it displeased with Gen: Hicks. He had via
fated all propriety, because he was a little
one, as was everybody else myself only:ex:
cepted, on The falkof Richmond, and- it shoWed
how far it could outrage propriety by attacking
him. Now, having been stead the only moder 4
ately sober man in Harrisburg on Monday last, I
may be permitted to say, that if I had been Gem
Rinks, with honorable scars' won in the battles of
the Republic, and particularly at Gettysburg in
defence of Pennsylvania, I would have got juiit as
jolly as I pleased, and would have captured Mk thy
hotels, police, Mayors, copperheads and othei
floating timber about the digging. When ithi:
snarling editors of the Union tight fur the safety
of the government as did Gen. Hinks, they imay
thenceforth complain of the exuberance of those
who have shared the perils of; the field and re-
juice with their whole hearts at the overthrow of
rebellion. _
GOT. Curtin, ever tireless in his devotion to the
Pennsylvania siddiers, left on \Vednesda last for
the battle fields of Richmond to give his personal
attention to the sick and wounded sous of the
State. Wherever there is sulferinesmoni the
soldiers of the State, there is Governor Curtin tO
fflace them in affliction' and minister to their
unnts. I envy him the soldiers' blessints rt;hieh
come from the parched lips, and.even from the
phrenzied brain, no the dull eye kindles at the
mention of our faithful Executive. HORAO.
DETAILS OF GRANT'S movEmEvrs.
On Tuesday, March 2Stb, the Union trocips ,
were eneampiAl on the James madAppomatacx,los
Tweuty-fifth corps' was ori
north side ot the James, seventy miles southeast
of Richmond; the Ninth corpS was in fronEof
Petersburg; the Sixth, corps exte;ded from the
Ninth to Hatcher's Run; the Second and Fifth
were along Hatcher's Run; the Twentcr,fourt4 in
reserve in their rear, and Sheridati's Cavalry on
the-southern Rank.
On Wednesday last, the, cavalry, and the Sec
ond and Fifth corps crossed •Hatcher's Run,
turning on the Second corps as a pivot: they
swung around so as to face the north. This '.'as
accomplished with some little fighting,. and on
Wednesday night Sheridan was at Dinwiddie
Court House. thirteliin miles Southwest of P;Aers
burg,and the Unioh line extended from thein fo
Hatcher's Run.
On Thursday but little was done, thpugh the
Union ' ,troop.? gradually advanced towards the
Southside Railroad. On
,Thursdtiy uightl, they ,
encamped in front of . the rebel works defending
the Railroad. These works vi - ere parallel with
the road, and about four miles south of it, and
extended aleng the Boydtown and WhiM 0..
roads. • •
On Friday, Leer massed the rebel army in front
of Sheridan's command, the Fifth corps, On the
extreme left flank of Grant's lino. The rebels
attacked this corps and it was pushed back near
ly a mile and a half. At noon, however parts of
the Second-and Twent}-fourth Corps were.sent
to support the Fifth, and the rebels were driven
back. .Grant then sent his troops forward against
the rebel line, and succeeded in penetrating to
within two miles of the Southside Railrbad.—
Here the Union-troops encamped. •
On Saturday,the advance was renewed. Sher
idan and the Fifth and Second Corps made deter
mined attacks against all the rebel lines west , of
Hatcher's Run. The battle raged until two in
the afternoon, : wher6the rebels gave wny and
abandoned their wori r s. Later in the day Sher
idan and the Fifth Corps pushed the 'rebels back
to the Five Forks.of Hatcher's Run, a mile from
the Southside Railrod and about thirteen nines
west of Petersburg: Sheridan cut off 4 large.
force of itibels from the main hody-and captured
them. -- At dark the Southside Railroad was
reached, and the Union line turned its front tow,.
ards Petersburg. Sheridan %%AS oli the Ouitthside
Railroad, the Fifth Corps north of the Royaton
road, and the Second corps on the 13oydto road.
The action of Saturday was the real battle of
Five Forks and wan the turning point of the cam
paign. Sheridan's plan is desericed,as masterly,
and its execution is no less so: The enemy, de
luded info the belief that they had to do with
cavalry only, held their ground and their Wrench
ments till the Fifth had time to envelop them by"
a flanking movement. It was not till the trap
was sprang . that the Rebels found there Jtcas a
trap, and then they Mund about six thousand of
their beSt soldiers shut up in it., The Five Forks
Were retried, the White Oak and poydtwu Roads
were bMh gained, a large body of Rebel Infantry
WIN cutoff from Levi's main ari4y, and rit 114 4 14
Sheridan was able to telegraph per'. Grant that
he was in the rear of the Rebel lines and earth
works which protected the Souttakide Road.
On Sunday the entire Union an advanced to
the attack. In front of Petersb* it had Mit pre
viously been engaged. The troopß' on the South
•sifle Railroad advanced along it towards Peters
burg; and the Sixth and Ninth ecfrpil attacked the
town in front. The rebel line of works was iloon
broketi; through, and fort aftetl fort captured.
The colutnns moved steadily towards PetersbUrg.
The Siith corps reached the Soutkide Railroad
..three tidies west• of the city and begiin destroying
I lit. The rebels:retreated across - the Apia=4ox,
toward Richmond, and ' by, noon none of their
troops were,. on the southern bank, excepting
those at Petersburg. Gradually the Union lines
closed around the city, and at half-past four in the
afternoon they extended from the lbauk of the
Appqrtattex three - miles :west of PotorfburF.
HARRISBURG
FIAIIIIINBUAG, April 8, 3865
aroma to the river bank again, just east of the CUT
, .
On Sunday night, Lee evacuated' Petersbtwg•
and lllCh.mond, his troops going west -towards
flarkesville. On 3fonday - incindug the Ninth corps
entered_Petersburg, and at 84 the advance of Gen:
Weitzel 's colored troops, ou the north bank of the-
J a me:, entered, frtelriond.' The hattle - was over.
At nine Grant from Hatcher's Run and Peters
burg started his army ou a march north-west- to
wards the Richmond and purkesvilte Railroad.
This road runs out from Richmond, about le miles
North of Petersburg, and goes to Barkesvillo, 542
miles west of Petersburg.
The pursuit of the enemy was pushed 'mist vig
orously by Sheridan,And on the 6th heMrought
him to a stand at the intersection of Byrke's SM
ties, and-after mbrief but desperate mfgageMent,
the rebels were again youtcd and Gene. Ewell,
Bolton, Kershaw; Debarre, Corse, and Custis Lee
and some 3000 prisoners captured. This battle
was Mught by Ewell against great odds evidently
with the hope that by tints detaining Sheridan
tee would he enabled to escape ; but the pursue
ing columns of Grant and Sherichni - weretoo ac
tive for the shattered rebel army. and. Lee was
again brought to, a stand at Appomattox Court
.11.011M1, where he finally surrendered the Army of
Northern Virginia, the detail:: of whi'vh we gi;;e
elsewhere iii to-day's paper.
NEWS plan nitirtiosik
—No passes air now granted to Richmond
—President Lincoln and Wife, aid Senators
Simmer and Hailan and others, paid another visit
to Richmond on Tliur,lday
, —The Richmond Post-Office has been taken
po.tscssion of by the ( vernleent, find tabags of
captured mails delivered to the War Department.
rebel iron clads on the Junes were
blown up at-the time of the evacuation. ' limue
storehouses in Richmond and Petersburg were
burned.
—lt was Gen: Ewell who set Richatoridim fire.
Thequtlugration proyed.quite a geli(iUS one, de
i.tri-grig, the greater fairy& the principal busi
neis st reet.,
—lt has been ascertained thut ouh boys, soon
after entering hichunia, found that sour apple
treeebtir on looking for Jeff he v‘ag not to be
found, tyhereupon the boys took possession of
the said live for future usi
—On Tuesday Preddelit Lincoln held a recep
lion in the parlor of Jeff. Davies house. A great
many citizens of Richmond called :aid were in-
. .
troduccii l'Ge - n:Deving also presented about one
hundred anion officers to him.
—A gentleman just from Richmoild..tareq that
the beat informed there believe Dacia has fled to
Georgia, and that he Will attempt a reestablis
meet of his government at Augusta, which pos
sesses stiong naturalliefenco: and has been club
orately fortified. •
—The - interior c.kpavis , s house presented the
appearance of havira been very has.tily evacuated
by him. Everything ilk in fine order andgood re
pair. Many.of Mrs. acci , el little nicknack,: and
Ornaments are yet to be found on the mantles and
bureaus of her room.
--The colored population wen• excessively ju
bilant and danced fur very joy at the eight of thei•
gable brethern in arms, the Twenty-filth Corps,
who followed Hoge upon the heels of Gi•u.
brigade of the Twenty-fourth. Corps, in the
entree of the Union forces into Richmond. -
—Jeff. Davis was attending divine service 'at
St. Paul's church when he received a telegram
from Lee stating that Peteisbarg and Richmond
must be given up. Jeff Davis, with his' family.
left for Danville in the afternoon, carrying with
him, according to rqmor, S:30900 in specie.
—lt is
in Richmond
there are 20,000 Union
people in Richmond who will gladly,return to the
-starry folds of theit : proper flag. It was Mtly by
force of grind that they bowed to - the acts 'of the
Rebel Government. To this class will he added
the half-way men, who note wilt of course be good
Union citizens.
—lt is characteristic of Gen. Grant t4t, bac-
ing by dint of five darn hard "fighting, dri
enemy out of the tremendous works aura
his capital. he stoWea - ifot oire single mo
enjoy the parade of an entrance into Rh
but with unremitting energy pushed after
well when he was a fugitive as when h
clung to his defenses. - ,
. ,
—When the army occupied Richmond there
were innumerable inquiries for Jeff Daiii, but to
all of which the answer was made that he went
Of in great haste night bjfore last' With [ l a . ll the
hag and baggage Which he could carry. i he fu
ture capital of the Confederacy will plably be
bra wagon, for the facilitieswhich. it a brds to
'travel. Jeff's mansion: where he lired,in state,
is row the headquarters of Gen. Weitzel' - -
b —The War Department has just issued the fol-:
lowing order : "The Examination Boar* which
Major General Casey, U. S. Vols., is Ptesident,
will immediately adjourn to Richmond,' Va., at
which place it will resume its present duties.
Major Gen. Casey, U, S. Vole., will, in laddition
to his duties of President of the Board,,take the
general superintendence of recruiting bind pins
-tering colored troops in Richmond, Virginia,' and
the adjacent country." 1
—When the Union troops :triunipharilly,enter
i
ad Richmond, they showed extraordi ary forr.
bearance in not setting fire to those- vi dens of
torture, . shame, starvation and miser , Libby'
Prison and CaStle . Thunder. They re-served
those ;structures as monuments of the infamy of
the rabdlleaders, and at once they wer' put torn
most priPer use. The despatches ft' in Rich
mond hnnotince that " Libby and Castle Thunder
are crowded with rebel prisoners." •
—Official details show that the Mayo of Ritl-
I
mond Went out to surrender the city. I There is
time!' ;offering 'among 'rich and poor. and there
are about 20,0(11) in the; town. of whom half - are
negroes. Weitzel took one thousand .prisoners,
five thousand wounded, five hundred cannon; five
thousand inn.heis in a ,single lot, thirty locomo
ties. and three huridrid cars. The ietiel ships
were destroyed, excepting one. John, Mitchell
ran away., Castle Thimder'and the Libby hold
rebels. The Richmond , ft hig, like the Charleston
Mercury, has re-appeared live local form, and the
theatre is opened. -,
—Extra Billy Sinitli,latr"so- - called Gdvernor
of Virginia, did not evacuate the gubernatorial
mansion until I o'clock on Sunday morning, when
he fled, leaving Mrs. Smith behind, and all the
furniture iu his house, which he had heretofore
threatened to,burn. The residence of the Gov
,
ernu t
r is now the headquarters' of Gen. Charles
DeVens, cOmmandiniz a division in the 24th corps
now here.' Mrs. Gen. R. E. Lee, wife of the re-
Gemrid-in-Chief, is also in Richmond.' News
has reached here of the death of her son, General
W. 11. F. l Lee, or the rebel army, killed,in the
hattlesofpst week betore Petersburg. _ '
—A sp , ( , cial dispatch to the Commercial says:
The colored troops headed by Gen. Draper, of
Massachusetts, were the first to enter Richmond.
The city was formally surrendered by the mayor,
Joseph Mayo, who merely.pleaded for protection
to life and property:, All the principal buildings
had been , fired by the rebel:authorities before
leaving. Several banks and . the Inquirer and
Dispatch: printing caves were burned. Gen.
Weitzel took,Jeff, Davis' house for his headquar
, tere, Gen. Shepley was appointed Military Gov
ernor. Governor ,Pierpont is' to transfer the
State Government of Virginia to RiChinond, from
Alexandria, immediately.
.
—General Weitzel telegraphs that he captured
• 14 Richmond five hundred pieces of artillery and
.fire thousand stand of. arrnsi. , When weadd to
'these trimbielthegunt4 tptured by Idr.ant at Pe
tenhurg, and along the,:wln4e - line of fortifications
on both sides of the Jamey River, there cost b e
little doubt that : the cannottlaken will anintint to
fifteen hundred. and the muskets to many thous
, 'ands. This is the greatest haul made during the
war, and probably! . exceeds the great spoils of
m i l l
ar
tillery which f 1 into the r ßehelpossessilon at Nor
folk. Two h dred guns were - taken at Vick*.
burg. and one hundred 't Charleston, but Rich
mond is the ~st Valithbl prize of thegioutesr.
—A. corre pendent ,telegraphing from the
Spottswood Hotel in Richniond, says that Gener
al Weitzel's corps was received with enthusiastic
demonstratiouf of joy. -Union flags which had
- been concealed during the rebellion were brought
out and di,played from the houses all over the
city and the Federal forces were welcomed on
eveiy band..._Tlit correspondent says thnt more
American flags were displayed on the main street
'of Rithmand tlian he ever saw, on Pennsylvania
avenue :. The I'llion sentiment which has long
been mippresaed by Jeff. Davis's straps in Rich
mond, and - Which oidy foninl:t ea't in secretly id
fording succor to I.7nion prisoner - a. burst forth in
a lively manner. _ .
—The works in front of Richmond which were .
occupied by the rebels, and wh4lly evacuated
previous to our occupancy of the city today tin
der General Weitzel, consist of three strong
lines, wholly enveloping Richmond. The outer
ones are continuous lines, the inner one consis-„
ting of a series of strong redoubts and bastion
forts. All theie works mount upwards. of 300
heavy guns, all of which have taken,, and
would, when properly garrisoned, form an almost
impregnable series of defences. As I rode along
these lines the seemed, with the - exception of
the outeis,one. .to have been most indifferently
garrisoned. anci'bot for the faeihty with which
they could be reinfOrced at any time b> bringing
troops
,up the Petersburg .road and crossing
them on pontoons, the lines could have been car
ried. hv ußswilt 4 --
--Davis left Rielimmid S'lturday night at'eight
o'clock by rail for Danville. his family having beet:
stilt out five days before. (in the train he had ,
see and carriages embarked, in ease the roaU was,
interrupted. iu Order to easily
,make his wily by
these In spirits he was very much de
pressed, and bore the appearance of an exceed
ing') haggard and car, worn rum:, his countenance
clearly 4Kr:tying fhe loss of his cautw. He ex
pressed hirilsell as being yet 'determined not to
give up, but to put forticunother effort to redeem
his hopeless uud sunken fortunes. I think it may
be relied {opus that he has not yet altogether aban
doned his cause, though it in positively - known he
ha but little hope left. His residenee. IA hen this
despatch was written, was _desolate indeed, and
ever) thing betokened the extraordinalT haste with
which he diandoned his capitol and hotue.
—The following order was issued by General
Weitzel, directly atler taking up his headquarters
in Richmond:
HEA.Nitt4 DETACEIMENT An or Ma J \HES. t
Richmond, Va., April 3,
Mitior Geu. Gudtrey Weitzel, comthanding de
tachment t 1 the Army of the James. announces
the occupation of_the eit of Richmond by the ar
mies of the United States under command of Lieu
tenant General Grant- The people of Richmond
are assured that we come to restore to them the
hlesilings of peace, prosperity and freedom, under
the flag of the Union. The citizens of Richmond
are reipiested to remain for the present quietly
'within their houses, and to avoid: all public assent
blagi,i or meetings in the public streets. An effi
cient Pros not guard will immediately re-i-stablish
order and tranquility, within the city. Martial
law is fiir the present 'proclaimed. Brig. General
George F. Shepley, United States Volunteers., is
hereby appointed:Military Governor of Richmond.
Lieut. Col. Fred S. Manning-, :Proyost - Marshal
General of the Army of the James, will act as
Provost Marshal of Richmond. Commanders of
danolinients doing mai d duty in the city tvili re
port to him for instructions. By command of
Maj. Gen. Weitzel. D. D. WHEELER,
fiillowing is the ditty, sung by Uncle
Sam's Colored Infantry on their march into and
through Petersburg and Richmond. • Though , not
exactly classic in its diction, it is 'quite express
_
ive --
en the
Say. darkies, hub yoniseen de mama,
\Vi4 de Enuffstash nn bin face,
Go 'long the road some time din mornin,'
Like hes goin' to leave de place?
He seen ktremoke way up de ribber
de Linknm gunboats lay
He took his bat and left berry sudden,
And I "spose he's canned away.
De. massy run, ha ! ha!
Ile darky stay. ho! be!
It mat be now de kingdom combs,
An' de yar oh Jnbilo.
landing
ent to
giond,
Lee as
madly
Ile's six foot one way and four fool totider.
An' he Weighs six hirnilred
His coat's so big he couldn't Pay de tailor,
An' it won't reach half way ran'.
He drills so much dey call; him rap's.
An' he gib], so mighty Maid,
I spec he'll try to fool dem Yankees
For to fink be's contraband. • ,
De massa run, ha! ha! '
• De darkey stay, hot ho
,It must be now de kingdom eomtni,
An' de yar ob
—General Weitzel learned at 3IA. M. on Mon
day that Richmond was being evacuattd, and at
daylight moved forward, first taking care to give
Ins men breakfast, in the expectation that they
might have to fight. He met no opposition, and
on 'entering the city was greeted with a hearty
welcome front the mass of the people. The May
or went nut to meet him to surreuder the city,
but missed him on the road. General Weitzel
finds much suffering and poverty among the pop
ulation. The rich as well as the poor are desti
tute of food. He is about to issue Supplies to all
who take the oath. The inhabitants nownum
ber about twenty thousand, about half of them of
African descent, It is not true that Jeff: Davis
Sold his furniture before leaving. It is all in his
honseorhere lam now writing. He left at 7P.
M. by the Danville Railroad. All the members
of Congress escaped: Hunter has gone home.
Carson Smith went with the army. Judge Camp
bell is here. General Weitzel took hereone thou
sand prisoners besides :sounded. These mina
her five Mound in nine 4spitals. We captured
cannon numbering at leastive hundred pieces.
Fi ve thim,and muskets have been found in one lot.
Thirty locomotives and there hundred cars are
Maud here. The Petersburg Railroad bridge is
'totally destroyed. that of the Danville Road par
tial]) , so that Connection with Petersburg can
easily be made m that way. All the Rebel ses
gels are destroyed, except an ununished rata, which
has her machinery in her perfect. ' The Tredegar
Iron Works are unharnttd, and the machinery is
running here to-day under Weitzel's orders.
Libby Prison and Castle Thunder have also esca
ped the fire, and are filled with Rebel prisoners
of war. Most of the editors have fled, especially
John Mitchell. The Whig appeared on the 4th
as a Union paper, with. the name of its former
proprietor at the head. General Weitzel des
cribes the reception of the President, as enthusi
astic in the extreme.
„ —Perhaps, however,- it may-be said, no one ‘
in
cident of - all this drama will so attract and fix the
attention of the American people and the civiliz
ed world as the appearance JO the city of
Rielimond=erased_ capital of infernal traitors—
bf Abraham Lidcolm ; President of the United
States. On Wednesday it came to be known that
the President would enter Richrtiond and hold
counsel with all who mignt be desirous of lending
a helping hand to the restoration of the Union.
Mr. Lincoln left City Point-in the flagship of Ad
miral -Porter, accompanied by the_ lat and as,
cending the James, arrived at . Rockett's Landing
early in the day. Ho.. was accompanied, in the
way of a guard, by one company of marines and
one company of armed sailors (a distinction
without a difference). As the President ap.•
April 12,- 1863
preached the -headquarters of. Major4icaeral
Weitzcl , the ,salutes - were opened, and be fveri„:,
found tube accompanied by Admiral Porter and
an.immente etowd of people, who accorded to
their liberates the cordial acclamations of a race
owing hith so much. It was truly a cheering
sight to see - 'l . .braham Lincoln walking rather
than riding in pageant, the streets ol Rithruend—
proud: but fallen city of the South-=followed by
-an adMiring crowd, where, but a few. hours be.
fore, he would have been the subject of rebel jest
and ribaldry, Which • his own patience has over.
edam,. even the approaching point of rebel rectl
`sideration of folly. ' The President _ upon his
ar
rival in the city, was immediately- escorted, by
his own choice, upon font, to the headquarters of
Major 7 Gene - ral Weitiel„ commanding department,
which are in the house of Jtfferson'Davis; and the
threshinald-uf which that arch-rebel crossed for
the laSt time on Sunday- evening, to take the
cars for Danville, folluived by his broken army.
The P-Awidefit of the United Staten receiving
the congratulatimm of an admiring auditory in
the city .of Richmond, gird within the (late) do
ntestie precincts of Jefferson - Davis, - needs no
comment to cause the American people to believe
that thin atrocious struggle is quite at its end.
Maj. Gets Weitzel, upon the suddeb appearance
of 31r.,Lineoln.held extemporized drawing-room
receptions in the Executive manatee of, the eon
federacy,-to which the President loaned, in his
presence, the chiefest attraction. He was intro
duce& to the leading general and ataffofficers of
the Department of Virginia and the Army'ef the
James, now present in Richmond. Jost aubat ,
quent to th7feception there was a private con
ference, after which the President rode out to see
tie' City of Etch mond--object of all his Presiden
tial affections. The ride over, the President pro
ei-eiled to leis chip, leaving WI to the kindly realm
of future developments. - •
SUMMARY OF WAR NRWR
—The brass liand formerly, belonging to the 11tn
ugiui;., hi, arrived ut Washington, took the,
oath of allygiauCe and afterwards played a num
ber of airmuited to their changed positions, Alton
as " ordati h. a hard road to travel" and "Ain't
we glad to get out of the wilderness!"
--Senator Sherman, just returned from Gal&
horn, reports tieneralShermau's army to he nearly
reelothed and shod, and furnished with supplies.
The men are in excellent condition. At Averys
boro and Bentonville the rebels did hut little fight>
Mg. They were flanked at the latter place and re
treated.
—lt is a remarkable circumstance that more
white people than negroes left Columbia, C.,
to follow Sherman's army. The slaveholders of
South Carolina took ull . possible pains to keep
their uegrbef out of the any of our soldiers, but
it appears the whites, no less than the 'blacks,
were anxious to get their feet off the nerunied
soil of South Carolina.
—A. letter from Goldsboro' says that Joe John
ston's losses in the battles of the 16th and- 20t11,
near Bentonsville, will undoubtedly reach an ag..-
make of fie thousand. The Fifteenth and
Twentieth corps buried of rebel dead, and collec
ted wounded, a total reachibg tivo thousand five
hundred. The small squads o:f prisoners taken
by the Seventeenth and Fourteenth corps, when
but together, foot up a total of thirteen hundred..
s r eretary SeWard has issued an order to the
effect that, whereas, certain evil disposed persons
have crossed our borders or entered our portshy
,sea and have committed capital felonies against
the property and lives of 'American citizena, by
authority of the President, a reward of $l,OOO is
offered for the captuii of each of such offenders,
on conviction by the proper tribunal, and $5OO
for the arrest of all abettors of the same.
—Sherman's army was in light marching•or
der when it passed in review before its ciin4a=
der and Generals Schofield and Sloctai at Golds
boro, on the 22d ult. It was, for. themost part,
shoeless, hatless, coatleso, and half breeeheslels.
The boys had light hearts, though,-and theirimv
erty-etricken appearance did not trouble them in
the least. They had seen a good, deal ofthe
country on their march, and
,at the review the
country saw a good deal of them.
—The detaili of tlLe4ccupation of Petersburg
have been received. The town was' surrendered •
to our troops by the Mayor and Common Conti : .
cil. The citizens did not show themselvei in the
fore part of the day, but upon finding that our
soldiers were well behaved, made their appear.,
ante at the doors and windows. The rebels took
away all their artillery - except a few old pieces.
Our troops did not remain long, but started in
pursuit oftee. A newspapei% called " Grant's
Petersburg Progress," was started by our troops
upon entering the city.
• —The inhabitants of Petersburg express them
selves much pleased at the good conduct of the
Union Troops. NO pillaging or acts of violence
have been committed. All the bridges in the vi
cinity were destroyed by the Rebels on theifde
parture. Among the distinguished .Rebels re
maining in the city was Roger A. Pryor, a parol-`
ed prisoner. On Satuedny, before the evacuation,
flour sold at eleven himdred dollarktt barrel; ba
con and sugar in pniportion: The • First Miehi
gun Sharpshooters first raised the Union flag over
the dome of the,Court-house.
—With true Yankee enterprise our troops in. a ;
few hours after Petersburg was occupied, rob-
lished a spirited Yankee newspaper, five columns
in width, called Grant's Petersburg Progrefs.
It overflows with patriotic_ editorials, witty, pun-
gent items, at the expense of the defunct Confed
eracy, from the pens of Major R. Cot Eden, 37th
Wisconsin, editor ; Capt. C.M'Creery,f3Sth Mich
igan Vet. Reg.ssChaplain L. Heafte, let Michigan
} Sharp-shooters, assistant editors. The type was
set up and the paper worked off by sorders of
different regiments. It says "We believed in
the UnitedSfates, one and indivisible; in-tbralatur
Lincoln, our adopted father; in 11. S. Grant, Cap-
YAM of the host, and in ourselves as the pnneipat
sojourners in the Army of the Potomac, and the.
freedom of contrabands, and the speedy eitine.
Lion of Rebellion; and the perdition tif Jeff Davis
here and hereafter." - •
POLITICAL INTELLIGENCE.
—The Republicans wan the municipal election
iu St. LOU/S.
—A spirited contest is going on in lowa fur-the
vacant seat in the , U. S. Senate of Secretacy_Efar.
lan. Hon. John A. Kamm, Maj. Geu. Samuel B.
Curtis, Brig. Gen. Fitz Henry Warrez. and Hon.
Samuel J. Kirkwood are the opposing candidates;
—The additional election returns from Cullum- -
tient show that the defeat of the Democracy was_
as eon:midi, as that of Lee at Petersburg. In
comparing the returns for 1864 and 1865,_ it will
be found that there are hardly half a dozen towns ,
in the entire State where the Democrats havenot
lost ground. The Republicans have elected not
only each of the four Members of Congress, but
each of the 21 State Senators. The completeness
of the Republican victory williwat appear if we_
compare the election of last Monday 'with- those
Of the preceding yews. In 1864 Gov. Buckingham --
And a majority of 5,658; in 1869, 2,601; 1862,9,148; 1 _
in 1861, 2,086. In 1860 Lincoln carried the State
by a majority of 10,293 over the combined vote.
of the three rival candidates ,: The Second Con
gressional District which two yeare - ago elected al .
Democrat (English). by 1,020 majority, nowgives.
Deming. Republican, a majority of 2,449.
GADDED SEEDS.—A great dent of labor and
care is bestowed In vela by lavers of line vegetables, try
planting worthless seeds.. This can be avoWedby get•
Clog fresh and genuine neede, rained In Pennsylvania, suet
Fit tzp for markPtbt• C, R. CtRPRCt.£R, DrngfrOn.